No. 4 Seed Georgia Tech Opens NCAA Tournament Against Sacred Heart

The 2012 Georgia Tech senior class has already set the record for most ACC wins by one Tech class (37) and most overall victories (93) during their time on The Flats. Now the accomplished five seniors want to add one more mark of distinction to their impressive resumes, leading the Yellow Jackets past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

The Yellow Jackets will look to build upon the momentum they earned in the ACC Tournament, where Tech advanced to only its second ACC Championship Game in school history. Despite the finals setback, Tech enters the NCAA Tournament having won seven of its last eight games, 11 of the last 13 and 15 of the its last 17 games dating to mid-January.

Senior Sasha Goodlett and sophomore Tyaunna Marshall were both named to the All-ACC Second Team and to the ACC All-Tournament First Team. Sydney Wallace was selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team following the regular season and senior Metra Walthour was named to the ACC All-Tournament Second Team. Tech will play Sacred Heart in the first round in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Jackets and Pioneers have never met.

High Four: Georgia Tech’s No. 4 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament is the highest seed the Yellow Jackets have ever received in eight NCAA Tournament berths. The previous high seed was set last year when the Yellow Jackets were a five seed.

Friendly Confines: The Yellow Jackets are extremely familiar with Chapel Hill and Carmichael Arena where the committee sent Tech. The Jackets have played in Chapel Hill on 30 occasions all time.

The Jackets have won their last two games in Carmichael, defeating the Tar Heels 56-54 February 12 this season and 67-54 February 24 last season. The victory last season was head coach MaChelle Joseph’s 150th, tied the then-Tech record for most ACC wins in a season of nine and gave the 2011 senior class 88 career wins, which tied the program-best.

Staying Neutral: The 2012 tournament will be only the second time in Tech’s eight NCAA trips in which the Jackets have been sent to a neutral site. Four previous times Tech has had to play the host institution on its home floor and in 2008 the Jackets had to play Iowa State in Des Moines, Iowa, where the Cyclones were hosting.

Road Success: The Yellow Jackets have had success on the road this season, having won a program-best 10 true road games and four neutral site contests. You could argue that Tech played its entire season on the road as the Jackets played 12 “home” games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center, approximately 40 minutes from the Tech campus, and its final “home” game on the Morehouse College campus in downtown Atlanta.

Tech’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum was closed following the conclusion of the 2010-11 season is being constructed as the new McCamish Pavilion.

Another First: Already this season, Georgia Tech has played five first time foes. Sacred Heart will be a sixth as the Jackets and Pioneers have never faced off.